The left-wing consolidation project seemed to take a step forward as the main opposition Democratic Party’s leading figures reached a general compromise but it continues to face obstacles within.

DP chairman Rep. Sohn Hak-kyu and former floor leader Rep. Park Jie-won met on Wednesday and agreed to kick off a negotiation body which will lead the liberal camp’s unity talks after the party’s upcoming convention.

They, however, failed to come to a full agreement on how to confirm the rules on electing the leader of the new united party.

Sohn suggested drawing up a draft on the processes of selecting the leader of the new united party by the party’s convention on Dec. 11

Park, however, claimed that the given convention should be an occasion to confirm the party members’ approval of the consolidation plan and detailed rules should be decided later, in cooperation with other liberal groups.

Park also claimed earlier that the party should reshuffle its leadership before moving on to consolidation talks, though he and Sohn reached a last-minute compromise on Monday.

“The DP shall first hold a national convention to confirm liberal consolidation and then another to select the leader of the new united party,” said Sohn.

The party’s internal convention is scheduled for Dec. 11, according to officials.

Park’s preference for a two-step method is largely due to his position as the party’s leading chairman candidate. Under the current circumstances, however, he is to enter the upcoming new party leader election as a regular candidate, not as the DP chairman.

Sohn, on the other hand, is pressed for time as he is to step down from his post by Dec. 18 in order to challenge the presidential race next November.

Though the two reached an initial compromise despite their opinion gap, further opposition came from other groups.

The DP’s non-parliamentary regional committee chairmen’s association, through a statement on Thursday, blamed Sohn and Park for representing their respective personal interest, instead of that of the party.

“We do not stand against the concept of liberal unity, but only ask for legal processes as stated in the party’s constitution,” officials said.

Innovation and Integrity, the DP’s non-partisan partner in the consolidation project, also disapproved of the ongoing disputes.

“The DP’s internal feud makes it difficult for the people to put their trust in the new united liberal party,” said an official.

“The unity is not about reorganizing the DP but to consolidate all liberal voices and to start as a complete new party.”

The council, which is largely led by the Roh Moo-hyun Foundation and left-wing civic groups, also demanded that the chairman nomination and election be based on an open public vote, in an attempt to equal the DP’s partisan power.

By Bae Hyun-jung (tellme@heraldcorp.com)